The release of large amounts of a liquid acid creates an emergent situation. The released acid may be highly corrosive. In addition, that release acid may off-gas one or more toxic gases. An initial response to a release of a large quantity of a liquid acid includes steps to neutralize the acid to form a less corrosive material. Subsequent remediation steps include containerizing the neutralized reaction mixture.
Neutralizing a large amount of acid, such as for example sulfuric acid, with a large amount of a caustic, such as for example potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and the like, produces a highly exothermic reaction which liberates a tremendous quantity of heat. Such an instantaneous release of thermal energy may result in vaporization of portions of the spilled acid, part or all of the added caustic, and/or liberate one or more toxic gases such as for example various oxides of sulfur. Such a response to a release of sulfuric acid may in fact create a more hazardous situation than the original release. Similarly, neutralizing a large amount of sulfuric acid with an organic amine can similarly liberate thermal energy resulting in the vaporization of toxic organic compounds as well as various sulfur oxides.
What is needed is a method to respond to a release of one or more liquid acids, wherein that response neutralizes the spilled acid, and wherein that response also containerizes the neutralized reaction products to facilitate removal of those reaction products from the environment.